I Do Adore
by HandheldIbanez
Summary: After a mission with Juvia Lockser, Gray Fullbuster's emotions are given a run for their money. Confused on how he's supposed to feel towards the rain woman, Gray decides to pursue a relationship deeper than friendship. Read the story to find out how it goes!


**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. In fact, who's to say I even own this fanfic idea? Inception is a thing.**

 **Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima.**

 **Also, this is the first story I've published in a while, and I plan to add more chapters.**

 **You see, this story is based off of a song by Mindy Gledhill, and her music is amazing.**

 **The first time I heard her music, I was instantly reminded of Juvia. Just listen to the song Crazy Love and you'll know why.**

 **If you've ever heard of the artist LIGHTS, she reminds me a lot of Levy for some reason.**

 **It's just what I'd imagine they'd sound like when they sing.**

 **Anyway, enjoy the fic and leave your feedback in the review section!**

Juvia Lockser was sitting in the common room of the Fairy Tail guild hall, her mind drifting to a certain ice mage.

Unlike her usual heart-shaped eyes and daydreaming mind, Juvia was just thinking with a content smile on her face, a nice change for Gray Fullbuster.

The ice mage was currently sitting at the bar mulling a shot glass full of scotch while Mira cleaned a glass from behind the bar.

"Is there something the matter, Gray?" Mira asked in her soft and concerned voice.

Gray looked up from the amber-colored liquid he was staring into.

"Huh? What'd you say, Mira?" Gray asked, his eyes lifting to meet the kind pair of Mirajane Strauss.

"I was just asking if you were feeling alright." Mira reiterated, her tone still soft.

Gray looked lost in thought for a moment before replying to the beautiful barmaid.

"Yeah, I'm all good. Just needed a strong drink to wake me up or something."

Mirajane sensed that Gray was holding something back, but she let it go, being used to his guarded emotions.

"Alrighty then!" She replied back in a cheerful tone.

Gray murmured his thanks for the drink before shuffling off to fight the pink haired bastard.

"Oi, Natsu! Fight me!" Gray yelled as he neared the table that the fire dragon slayer and his partner, Lucy, were sitting at.

Giving Lucy's hand one last covert squeeze under the table, Natsu stood up and squared his shoulders, fire appearing in his closed fists.

"What'd you say, Ice Princess? You want to get melted again?"

Gray scoffed as he lunged at Natsu, his hands swinging forward and his shoulder turning in a perfect straight punch.

"Bring it on, Flame Brain!"

Lucy just sighed as she watched the two mages fight. Again.

It was an hourly occurrence with them, despite them being good childhood friends.

The men of Fairy Tail were highly stubborn folk. Hardly ever admitting that they were friends with the other.

Lucy glanced up as she saw Levy Mcgarden sit down exasperated.

Levy was her best friend, and resident bookworm of Fairy Tail.

She was the only person Lucy had told about her and Natsu's developing relationship.

And in turn, she grilled Levy about her crush on Gajeel, who had now joined the fray.

"Hey Levy. You seem down about something. What's wrong?"

Levy glanced toward a dark corner of the room before looking around briefly.

Leaning in close, she whispered, "It's Gajeel! He's driving me up the wall!"

Lucy crossed her arms and leaned them on the table, internally grinning at the solid-script mage.

"What's he been doing, exactly?" Lucy asked curiously.

Crossing her arms with a huff, Levy sat back in her chair with a pout.

"He's hiding something from me! I just know it." The bluenette whispered loudly, her eyes daring Lucy to call her crazy.

Lucy looked amused for a second before composing herself.

"Look, Gajeel isn't hiding anything from you." Levy narrowed her eyes in suspicion and Lucy carried on quickly.

"I overheard him and Natsu talking about some sort of special Dragon Slayer training in the woods, and if I'm correct, they got back an hour ago."Pointing her thumb towards the rowdy fight between Natsu and Gray.

Levy looked relieved as she registered the Celestial mage's words, surprised that she hadn't seen Gajeel come in with Natsu earlier.

Recognizing the expression on her friends face, Lucy's mouth lifted up slightly as she laughed at the bluenette.

"You fell asleep again, didn't you?" The blonde accused with a smug grin as Levy flushed a light pink.

The book lover opened her mouth to protest but stopped as she remembered what she had been doing the last couple of nights.

"I'm still not finished with it." She whispered, passion lighting up her eyes as she spoke of her project.

"I still have a few things to learn about metallurgy if I'm to get the weaving right."

Lucy smiled as she thought of what the final product of Levy's hard work would look like.

She had been researching ways to use her Solid-Script magic to make things out of metal.

It had been tough at first, but now she was finding that she had a knack for weaving intricate webs of metal together into appealing figures and trinkets.

She was trying to make small spheres of aluminum-cased steel for Gajeel's birthday.

The Iron Dragon Slayer was turning 21, and she wanted to show her developing feelings for the man.

The metal spheres weren't just fancy snacks for the hardy mage; they were much more than that.

She needed to learn to weave the silken strands of metal together in a way that made the spheres look breathtaking, while simultaneously embossing them with a restorative energy for her secret crush.

While it was true that Dragon Slayers recovered their magic energy faster when consuming their element, it didn't mean that restorative magic couldn't help.

And Levy had been working extra hard to make her present to Gajeel perfect.

"Speaking of Gajeel, where is he?" Levy said impatiently, her eyes scanning the guild hall for the man.

"Gihihi, you looking for me Shrimp?" Gajeel Redfox said, his grinning face appearing next to the petite bluenette's.

Letting out a surprised yelp, both of the female mages jumped in their seats.

"Gajeel!" Levy said, her face turning bright red as the Dragon Slayer pressed his face closer to hers.

"Did I hear the bookworm say something about metal?" Gajeel asked with a smirk, his words making him sound as if he was asking Lucy, but his gaze remaining on the crimson-faced bluenette.

Lucy just inched away, going to sit at the bar with Mirajane and Wendy.

"Hey! That was supposed to be a surprise!" Levy exclaimed, her voice wavering.

Gajeel faltered as he saw his Shrimp's expression. She was cute and all, but he felt kind of guilty.

"Oi, don't cry or nothin'. I just wanted some more of your tasty iron!" Redfox admitted to the bookworm sheepishly.

Levy calmed down slightly at the gruff man's words, her blush tickling her cheeks.

"If you want to see what I've made for you than you'll have to be patient!" Levy huffed, her eyes closed in what she thought was a firm expression.

Gajeel just chuckled at the mage's cutesy look, his insides churning.

Surprising the small woman, Gajeel picked up the bookworm like a sack of potatoes and carried her over to the request board.

Letting out an 'eep' of embarrassment, Levy thrashed around, her arms and legs beating at the large man.

Gajeel let out another chuckle as he glanced back at the bluenette's blushing face.

Grabbing the first job off the board he saw, Gajeel got the paper stamped by the cheery Mirajane before walking towards the door, a bright red Levy still beating her fists on his back.

Before exiting, Gajeel called out loudly into the guild.

"Hey, Bunny Girl! Tell that Flame Brain that I want a rematch when we get back!"

The Iron Dragon Slayer took a look at the backside of the tiny mage slung over his shoulder before yelling into the guild again.

"Me and the Shrimp are going to go kill some time, so don't wait up for us!" He walked out after his final statement, the sound of Natsu's angry yelling reverberating behind him as he laughed in that way that he does.

Natsu growled lightly before turning back to his fight, only to see that Gray had disappeared.

Fullbuster was currently walking towards a certain water mage in the back, his mind running a fast pace.

Things won't be-aren't the same with us anymore. Not since yesterday. Gray thought to himself, his eyes glancing towards Juvia.

At least she isn't jumping all over me anymore. The ice mage mused with a frown. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing at this point.

The two mages had gone on a mission a few days prior and had gotten back late last night.

The mission was largely uneventful. Gray stripped a lot, Juvia swooned over him. The works.

One thing worth mentioning is the sleeping arrangements. It seemed that Gray had packed too many shirts and forgot his sleeping bag.

Let's just go back to that moment…

Gray dug furiously through the rucksack he had slung over his shoulder, a growl ripping from his throat when he couldn't find what he was looking for.

"Is Gray-sama alright?" Juvia asked with a look of concern on her face.

Gray ran a hand through his dark locks as he glanced at the water mage, a sigh of frustration coming from his lips as he closed his eyes.

"Uh…yeah, I'm fine Juvia. Just frustrated." Gray closed his pack back up and tossed it at a nearby tree stump.

The two guild mates were currently camped in a forest on their way back to Magnolia.

Juvia gave Gray a puzzled look before smoothing down her skirt as she kneeled down next to the ice mage.

"If it is a frustration that Juvia can relieve you of, than all you have to do is ask." Juvia told her crush softly, her eyes resting on his with a kind look in them.

Gray gave her a slight smile and stood up, offering his hand to her.

Taking his calloused hand gingerly, she stood up and gave him a small smile of her own.

"So what is wrong?" Juvia asked softly, her smile turning playful.

Gray looked bashful as he tried to think of an excuse for his slip up.

"I…kind of forgot my sleeping bag at home." The stripper said quietly, turning his head while scratching the back of his neck.

Juvia looked like Christmas had come early and Gray started to back away.

"Does this mean that Gray-sama was so eager to come on a mission with Juvia that he forgot all about his sleeping bag?"

Not wanting to admit that he had overslept and had to pack hurriedly, he just decided to go with Juvia's exaggerated explanation.

"Yeah, that's totally what happened…" Gray mumbled sarcastically.

Juvia was too deep in lalaland to hear the sarcasm in Gray's voice.

Letting out a girly squeal of delight, Juvia tackled the ice mage to the ground, nuzzling her face into his chest.

Gray let out a strangled noise of protest as he felt his face light up.

He would never admit it, but the way Juvia's breasts pressed up against him was making him feel hot. Not really something Gray was comfortable with, as he had to resist the urge to strip off his clothes.

That would be a disaster and a half. Juvia would be unstoppable then.

"Oi, Juvia! Could you get off! We still have to make dinner you know!"

The water mage seemed to have calmed down a bit and stood up, brushing the dirt from her skirt.

Gray stood up and glanced at his guild mate with a look of confusion.

Women were an enigma. One second she's all over him like a fan girl, the next she's playing hard to get and ignoring him.

Gray walked over to the water mage, sitting down on the nearby tree stump and watching Juvia assemble something for dinner.

He was surprised when she pulled out a container of miso ramen instead of some kind of onigiri shaped like his head.

Juvia distributed the ramen into two blue bowls, the concentration she displayed at such a small task captivating Gray's attention.

He was jolted from his daydreaming by a bowl thrust into his face.

Looking up at the smiling face of the water mage, Gray took the bowl with a murmur of thanks to his partner.

They ate in silence and Gray wondered if he had done anything to make the rain woman mad at him.

After finishing their meal, Juvia took their dishes without a word and cleaned them with her hand.

Gray watched curiously as she turned her hand into water and washed the inside of the bowls.

"Doesn't that make you feel dirty?" Gray asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Juvia didn't even spare him a glance until a few seconds after he asked his question.

"Hmm? What did you say, Gray-sama?" She replied distractedly.

At least she didn't sound mad at him.

"I was asking if washing dishes with your body made you feel dirty." Gray reiterated.

Juvia looked like she was mulling over the question before turning her head to smile at Gray.

"It doesn't really do much to Juvia. I can still taste the food that's left so I wouldn't do this unless I knew the food was delicious!" The water mage replied excitedly.

Gray nodded his head absentmindedly as he thought about the sleeping arrangements.

He looked over towards the water mage for a brief moment, catching the shivering in her shoulders.

Of course she was cold! Unlike Gray, she wasn't as comfortable in the cold. And most people needed a fire when they set up camp.

"Hey, why don't you go set up your blanket roll. It's getting dark out and I want us to be up early to get back to Magnolia."

Juvia glanced back at Gray before nodding slightly, her hands reforming as she stood up. Gray watched her out of the corner of his eye as she grabbed her blanket roll from out of her bag.

Gray closed his eyes in contentment when a chill breeze swept over him before remembering Juvia.

The rain woman was shivering as she unrolled her blanket, the skirt and blouse she wore not being proper attire for the chilly night.

Standing up and walking over to his partner, Gray took Juvia's hand, causing her to let out a surprised gasp and stare up at him surprised.

"G-Gray-sama?" Juvia stuttered out, her eyes widening.

The ice mage just rolled his eyes with a soft smile before taking the blanket from Juvia's hands.

"I'll take care of this for you. Go and change into something warmer over there before you catch a cold." He ordered, his tone commanding despite his smile.

Juvia blushed a light pink, her gaze cast downward in embarrassment.

"Oh! Y-yes, Gray-sama. Thank you." Juvia nodded her thanks before she grabbed a pair of dark blue pajamas and walking deeper into the forest, her gaze drifting back to Gray's crouching form.

Gray let out a sigh as he watched the flustered woman leave his eyesight.

Unrolling the blanket evenly, Gray got lost in his thoughts, his mind drifting back to the water mage he had been spending so much time with.

He was so deep in his musings about the water mage that he failed to notice her coming back from the forest.

"Gray-sama? Are you alright"

Juvia asked worriedly, her hand coming to rest upon Gray's shoulder.

"Hell! Don't scare me like that, Juvia!" Gray screamed as he jumped in surprise.

Letting out a breath, Gray stood up and rubbed the back of his head bashfully.

"Ah, sorry about that…"

Juvia just smiled at the ice mage's behavior, her lips curving up slightly.

"Are you ready for bed, Gray-sama?"

The rain woman asked curiously, wondering where her beloved was going to sleep.

"Yeah, I suppose. You can go ahead and sleep, I'll keep watch."

Juvia pouted when reality didn't match up with her daydreams, but she continued on eagerly.

"But Gray-sama needs his rest as well! So Juvia will let him take the blanket roll while Juvia-" Gray cut her off with a finger to her lips, causing the water mage to blush.

"If you're really that bothered by it, than I can't really refuse your offer, now can I?" Gray said with a smirk, his companion nodding eagerly when she heard his words.

"But I'm not such a jerk as to leave a woman without someplace to sleep, especially out here in the woods." Juvia looked crestfallen for a moment until she caught on to the hanging sentence,

"Since you're so set on making sure I'm as comfortable as possible, I'll cut you a deal. We're sleeping together."

Juvia made a strangled noise as she fell backwards, her face burning hot as her mind swam with visions of Gray making good use of his stripping habit.

Feeling faint, Juvia muttered something incomprehensible.

Gray raised an eyebrow at the stuttering mess that was Juvia Lockser, his gaze causing the bluenette to feel faint.

The ice mage went over his words inside his head for a moment until he came upon the 'sleeping together' part.

Flushing a light pink, Gray coughed nervously, turning his head away in embarrassment.

"What I meant to say, was that I want to sleep with you." Gray reiterated before groaning at Juvia's widened eyes.

"No, no, no! I meant that I want to share your blanket roll!" The stripper said as he shed his shirt unconsciously.

Letting out a low groan, Juvia's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fell backwards, her body hitting the dirt in an embarrassed faint.

"Aw shit!"Gray said worriedly, his hands hovering over Juvia's torso as he tried to examine her for signs of damage without touching her.

"I don't think I can wake her up with cold water, considering she's a water mage."

Gray just let out a frustrated sigh as he ran a hand through his spiky black locks.

"I should've never said anything." He mumbled as he lifted Juvia effortlessly off the ground, setting her down inside the blanket roll and crawling in after her,

Gray wanted to keep up his tough bravado, but even if he didn't mind the cold at all, he still didn't want to sleep on the hard ground.

If it was anyone else, like Natsu, he would've just challenged them for their sleeping bag.

But Juvia was different. She was timid, and kind. Even though he acted nonchalant whenever he was near her, he was actually quite aware of her presence at all times.

He cared for the blue-haired rain woman, and he would rather share with her than either of them sleeping on the hard ground.

Besides, inside his head he could at least admit that he wouldn't mind being snuggled next to the beautiful woman.

Feeling his cheeks warm up slightly, Gray just tucked in next to the water mage.

Eyes fluttering open, Juvia's eyebrows hunched together as she struggled to remember what happened.

Turning over, Juvia saw a pair of dark blue eyes staring at her.

Letting out a yelp in surprise, Juvia tried to back away from the piercing gaze of her comrade, but Gray had wrapped his arms around her to keep her from fleeing.

"Oi, cool it Juvia, I'm not going to hurt you or nothin'." Gray said with a grunt, but the playful glint in his eyes made Juvia relax.

Until she realized that the ice mage was currently snuggled up next to her, his forehead touching hers and his eyes gazing into hers, a concerned look making her feel faint again.

"G-Gray-sama?" Juvia stuttered out, her cheeks flaming bashfully.

Gray closed his eyes in contentment as he hummed in response.

Juvia just smiled with joy as she watched her not-so-secret crush get comfortable next to her.

Letting out a squeak in surprise as she felt the ice mage's warm arms tighten around her, Juvia blushed a few shades lighter than scarlet and Gray let a small smirk cross his face.

Letting out a collective sigh, the pair of Fairy Tail wizards fell into a comfortable silence as sleep overtook them.

Blinking his eyes open, Gray squinted at the rays of sunshine that were blinding him.

Scrunching his brow in confusion, Gray rubbed his face against the warm blue fuzz that he didn't remember falling asleep with.

Reaching out a hand, Gray ran a hand through the thin strands of silk that smelled like a mix of the ocean and a fruit he couldn't quite remember the name of.

His curiosity not quenched yet, Gray buried his head in the soft tresses of his blue-haired partner, his nose automatically attempting to get closer to the delicious smell.

Gray tried to move his left arm but found it buried underneath a warm mass.

He could rotate his wrist and move his fingers, but his arm was trapped.

Feeling drowsy still, Gray curled up against his makeshift body pillow, his mind still not registering that he went to sleep with Juvia last night.

The ice mage was still curious as to what he was sleeping next to and he began to feel around, his hand resting on what he thought was some kind of weird lacrima.

Giving it a squeeze, Gray felt that it wasn't hard, but rather soft and warm.

He heard a groan when he squeezed harder and his mind decided to start working again.

Letting out his own muffled groan, Gray tried to retract his hand without waking the sleeping woman next to him, but he was getting payback for his curiosity.

Covering the man's hand with her own, Juvia leaned her backside into Gray as she kept his hand on her breast.

The black-haired man let out a choking sound as he felt the rain woman's butt press up against his groin.

"Mmm, Gray-sama. Yes, Juvia would like another bite." Juvia moaned in her sleep, Gray becoming more flustered.

Left hand caged against the breast of the blue-haired woman, Gray tried to wriggle free from his precarious situation before he woke the bluenette.

But all his wiggling was for naught, his face resembling a tomato as his partner dug her backside deeper into his man parts.

Letting out a groan, Gray stopped moving, but Juvia took the hand that he had draped over her right shoulder and stuffed it down the front of her pajama bottoms.

Gray let out a surprised scream, his eyes widening and his hands itching to move.

Juvia groaned and opened her eyes, Gray's terrified scream waking her.

"Gray-sama? What are you doing in Juvia's bed?" The bluenette said quietly, her brow scrunched in confusion and her eyes still sparkling sleepily.

Gray just let out a pained groan as he shut his eyes in defeat, his hands still groping the unaware woman.

Falling silent, the water mage pondered the situation. With every second her face grew redder, and her expression grew more flustered.

She caressed Gray's right hand and the man stiffened further, she let out a squeak as she realized he was feeling her right breast.

Wiggling her butt experimentally, Juvia flushed a deeper scarlet as she felt the effects her body was having on the ice mage.

Turning her head to see Gray's other arm, Juvia followed the appendage down until she could see his hand.

Juvia let out a gasp as she saw that both her and Gray's hands were stuffed down the front of her bottoms.

Gray tried to say something to calm down the flushed and heated bluenette, but she just jumped up quickly and ran to hide behind a tree.

Sitting up and rubbing his head, Gray stared at the tree his partner was hiding behind and sighed in exasperation.

"Juvia! Come out so I can explain everything!" The ice mage yelled towards the tree, his cool composure only broken by his sweat covered body and the blush still a deep red on his cheeks and ears.

Juvia just peeked at the now shirtless Gray and squeaked, her eyes drifting away from the stripper.

"G-Gray-s-sama was t-touching J-Juvia in her s-sleep!" The water mage accused, although her tone sounded more pleased than anything.

Gray's eyes widened and he shook his hands in front of his face to try and explain himself.

"N-no! I was only sleeping with you and that happened by accident!" The ice mage tried to explain, but his words made it sound worse than it was.

Juvia just felt more heat flood her cheeks as she heard her beloved's words.

"Was G-Gray-sama trying to t-take advantage of J-Juvia?" The rain woman asked softly, her tone implying that she wouldn't have minded if he was trying to do just that.

Gray just let out a sigh and reached over to grab a water skin from his pack.

Taking a few large gulps from the refreshing water, Gray motioned for Juvia to come and sit next to him and drink some water.

"Hurry, I'll explain what happened to you." He said, even though he was still confused on that point.

Juvia walked over and sat down crossed-legged, easing herself down reluctantly.

Taking a large drink of the water skin, Juvia turned all of her attention to Gray.

Gray realized that maybe Juvia wasn't so obsessed with him when he saw her expression.

"Explain yourself, Fullbuster." Juvia said sternly, surprising Gray with how serious she looked.

Gray just looked at her with his mouth open wide. He was pleasantly surprised by her behavior and he had never heard her call him Fullbuster before.

He kind of liked it.

He had always thought she was a shameless woman when it came to him, but it seemed she had modesty.

"Eh? Didn't I already?" Gray said stupidly, his eyes still widened slightly.

Juvia just glared at him, her deep blue eyes swallowing him like the sea.

Her mood change was confusing the hell out of the ice mage, who didn't know what to say.

"I already told ya, we were sleeping in your blanket from last night and I guess we just kind of cuddled up next to each other."

A tinge of pink touched Juvia's cheeks, but she didn't let up her glare.

"Why were you touching me inappropriately, Gray?" The rain woman said sternly.

Gray's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth stammering in disbelief.

"She called me Gray, not Gray-sama. And she talked normal!"Gray whispered to himself.

Juvia just let out a 'humph' as she crossed her arms underneath her chest.

Gray just sighed in defeat as he looked at the steaming water mage.

"I didn't mean to touch you like that, honest! It was an accident. I forgot we were sleeping next to each other and I guess I just felt drawn to how good your hair smelled and felt." The stripper confessed with a small blush.

Before Juvia could speak, Gray continued his embarrassing confession.

"And I was still half asleep, so I wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing. I didn't mean to touch your boob or nothin'. And you grabbed my hands and made me touch you like that, so I don't think you should be mad at me!" Gray said, his cool demeanor only broken by his reddened face.

Juvia looked down bashfully, her face flushed and warm.

"Oh." The rain woman said, her fingers pressing together of their own accord.

"Juvia didn't mean to get upset with you, Gray-sama. I just imagined our first…intimate moment…being different." The pair of Fairy Tail wizards seemed to get even more embarrassed at the water mage's words.

Gray looked like he was at a loss for words considering he was always brushing off the former Phantom mage.

"Wait…you mean you imagine this sort of thing?!" Gray said with a shocked tone, his eyes boring into the small figure of his partner.

Looking down in embarrassment, Juvia nodded meekly, a shy smile on her lips.

It seemed that she wasn't all just one personality, but Gray could at least admit that she was cute most of the time.

Sitting quietly, the pair shifted awkwardly, their lips opening and closing in a lame attempt to break the silence.

Finally, Gray said something.

"It would have been nice to get back to sleep, but seeing as we are already awake, let's just head back to Magnolia."

Blushing slightly at his words, Juvia just nodded as they packed up their few belongings.

Gray took both packs and hoisted them onto his shoulders as Juvia protested weakly.

"Hey, you did me a favor by letting me sleep with you, so I'm carrying your bag all the way back home." The ice mage said to his partner, turning his face so that she couldn't see the soft smile and his pink cheeks.

Juvia just smiled back at him, her face lit up with happiness.

Taking the lead, Gray walked on the path back towards Magnolia, Juvia following close behind with an aura of joy.

Back in the Fairy Tail guild hall…

Gray walked towards Juvia, a pensive look on both of their faces.

The ice mage felt like running when he thought about what he was going to do, but the words of his former mentor played in his ears like a song.

Once you make your bed, you gotta lie in it too.

Gray was so focused on how to approach the blue-haired water mage, that he didn't notice Macao and Wakaba stifling their chuckles next to him.

Sitting next to each other with a few mugs of ale, the two older men were both laughing at Gray as they followed his line of sight.

"Hey Gray, you finally going to seal the deal with Miss. Juvia?" Macao teased, Gray finally looking up from his thoughts.

"What did you say, old man?" The ice mage said gruffly, part of his mind still on the bluenette.

"I was asking ya if you were going after Juvia!" Macao exclaimed, sharing a grin with his old friend.

Gray looked flustered before regaining his composure, his eyes as icy as ever.

"Who said anything about that, you old timer? I was just going to ask her if she wanted to go for carmalade franks or something."

The stripper mumbled while looking away.

Wakaba laughed loudly.

"You know how she feels about you, don't you? Maybe that girl will finally melt that ice cold heart of yours with the torch she's been carrying for you!"

Both of the older men let out loud, boisterous laughs at Wakaba's joke.

Gray just scowled, his arms crossing over his chest instinctively.

"But I'm sure that Lyon wouldn't mind taking your place, if you don't feel up to it?"Macao joked, his friend taking a long drag of his pipe.

Letting out an annoyed growl, Gray stomped over to the table where the water mage was sitting.

"Hey! Juvia! Me and you are going out to lunch!" The ice mage yelled confidently, before he remembered what he was originally doing and lost heart.

"If that's alright with you, I mean?" He asked sheepishly, his shirt shed somewhere during his tirade.

Juvia looked up from where she was studying her clasped hands, her mind broken out of its thought process.

"Oh, Gray-sama! Did you say something?" Juvia said, looking puzzled.

Gray just fell over with a groan of disappointment, while the older men behind him laughed loudly at his misfortune.

Putting his hand on the table, Gray stood up once again and spoke slower this time.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go get some lunch or something." The stripper asked, his question sounding more like a statement.

Juvia's eyes clouded over for a second and Gray looked frustrated before he noticed that her cheeks were warming up with a flush.

Gray anxiously awaited her answer, his eyes watching hers for any sign of movement.

Glancing up at him, the water mage felt her cheeks go hot in embarrassment as she swooned at the thoughts she was having.

Did her beloved Gray-sama just ask her out on a date? It was almost too good to be true!

Closing her eyes and reopening them with a sigh of contentment, Juvia focused her warm gaze on the ice mage.

Gray stood their awkwardly, a half smile adorning his face as he tried to squeeze Juvia's response out of her.

Opening her mouth with a grin, the water mage burst out with emotion.

"Yes! Of course I'll go with you, Gray-sama!"

Gray let out a small sigh of relief, and he was surprised at how much stock he seemed to be taking in this one simple answer.

The stripper was almost in the clear before he heard a small gasp come from the bluenette.

"Eh? What's up, Juvia?" Gray asked, his brow scrunching up in confusion and concern.

Cana was sitting nearby on a stool, casually drinking beer from a barrel, and snickering at the pair of mages.

Juvia looked up towards the ice mage with a shocked look on her face.

Gray almost chuckled at how silly the rain woman looked, but instead opted for leaning down close to her face to inspect for any irregularities.

What he didn't count on was the bluenette standing up so abruptly and rubbing her nose against his.

"Do you mean right now?!" Juvia asked in an excited whisper, her eyes shining and her nose brushing against the now flustered ice mage.

"W-well, I…uh, y-yeah. I meant r-right now." Gray stuttered out quietly.

Juvia let out an excited squeal as she rushed past the ice mage, his cheek warming up as she brushed against him.

"Juvia must go and get ready! Will you wait here for me, Gray-sama?" The water mage asked with a bat of her eyelids.

Gray lit up like a Christmas tree at the look she was giving him and most of the Fairy Tail members were having a good laugh at his now red face.

Trying to save face in front of his guild mates, Gray shoved his hands in his pockets and turned his head to hide his blush.

"Yeah, s-sure. Take all the time you need." He said with a casual tone, his stutter ruining his cool attitude.

"Oh! Thank you, Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed with excitement, her boots thumping against the wooden floor of the guild hall as she ran out the door.

Gray let out a sigh as he listened to the roaring laughter of his guild mates.

Putting on his best glare, the ice mage turned toward the largest crowd of his laughing friends.

"Don't you idiots have anything better to do?!"

Turning to leave, Gray got as far as the door before he was stopped by Erza.

"You are aware of what I am about to say to you, right Gray?" Erza asked with a serious look on her face.

The ice mage nodded warily, his mind warning him not to set off the great Titania.

"Good. Because if I hear that you have mistreated Juvia, you will wish you were never born with male parts. Are we clear?" She threatened, her gaze almost turning into a smirk as she watched him gulp in fear.

You're like a brother to me, Gray, so I know you wouldn't mistreat Juvia. But I have to do this for your own good. I should go do the same for Natsu…

Gray quickly nodded his agreement and he visibly sagged in relief as Erza's menacing glare turned into a warm and kind smile.

"Alright. Have a good date with Juvia, I'm sure that us girls will get to hear all about it."

Gray almost looked sick at the thought of the Fairy Tail girls gossiping about him at some slumber party.

Running a hand through his untamed black hair, Gray let out a loud sigh.

"Tonight is going to be stressful." He thought aloud, his thoughts turning to pleasing Juvia and trying not to shed his clothes in the middle of the restaurant.

Doubling over with a strangled gasp, Gray looked back to see Laxus Dreyar, the Thunder God. "Having trouble with Miss. Juvia? Shoulda known that you youngsters couldn't handle the responsibilities of a mature relationship."

Gray glared at the taunting man but was interrupted before he could retort. "Listen good, kid. You've got a good thing with Juvia, and you don't even realize it yet. She's been totally devoted to you since day one. What have you done that can match that?"

Patting Gray on the back roughly, Laxus continued his speech.

"And don't give me that bull about saving her life a thousand times. You've never even tried to acknowledge her feelings towards you, so everything you've done only counts as guild friendship."

Looking ready to protest, Gray was cut off by Laxus talking over him..

"The girl loves you, okay? Can't say why any of these beauties would be in a rut over us assholes, but it's happening. So try not to fuck it up like I'm betting you and Natsu will do within a day, alright?"

Gray managed to nod with clenched fists, his thought process begrudgingly agreeing with the statement.

"Oi! What about Mira? Don't tell me that you've been S-class in that area too, because I know you'll be lying."

Laxus looked ready to argue before he mumbled his agreement.

"She's a goddess when she wants to be, but hoo-boy, look out for her when she's angry!"

Both men gave a shudder at the mere mention.

"That's not your problem, besides. I'll worry about Mira, you worry about Juvia, capiche?"

Nodding with a grimace, Laxus grinned down at the younger Mage before walking off with a cackle, his destination coincidentally being the bar.

"Mira! I'm going to take you out tonight! And when we get back to my place, I'm going to make sweet love to you until the next Magnolia festival rolls around!"

Blushing madly at the Lightning Dragon Slayer's crude declaration, Mirajane squeaked cutely as Laxus drew her up in his arm, striding out of the guild hall and towards the nearest restaurant.

The guild was in an uproar as most cheered through their deep laughter and Evergreen fought to keep Elfman away from exploding with rage.

Gray just shook his head with a grin of nostalgia and sat down in a stool, arms crossed as he waited patiently for Juvia's return. Gray awoke to soft taps on his shoulder and feminine murmuring in his ear, 'Gray-Sama' on repeat like a mantra.

Startled by a the feeling of soft, pink lips on his ear, Gray tipped back in his chair and fell to the ground with a thud.

"Gray-Sama!" Juvia exclaimed, fretting over the fallen ice mage.

Rubbing the back of his head with a groan, Gray glanced into the concerned eyes of the beautiful water mage, a reddish hue overtaking his cheeks.

Juvia's soft, pink lips mouthed their concern for him and Gray found himself entranced, his body moving of its own accord as he leaned in to touch his lips to hers.

A soft gasp from the rain woman was all it took to break him of the trance, pulling back after the slightest graze of their lips.

"Sorry…" He murmured, standing up and moving past her, his back turned to hide his embarrassment, and surprise.

Touching two fingers to her stinging lips, Juvia pulses with excitement and hope.

Does this mean that Gray-Sama returns Juvia's feelings? She thought, racing after the silent ice mage.

A few feet from the edge of the guild hall doors, Gray grabbed Juvia's hand, fighting the emotions that were coursing through him.

A ripple ran through the water mage like a drop into a pond, and she suppressed a squeal of delight, not wanting to dissuade Gray from his PDA.

"Where are we going, Gray-Sama?" Juvia asked with an adorably curious voice.

Glancing at his date for the first time since waking up, Gray was pleasantly surprised to see Juvia less bundled up.

Wearing nothing but a blue sundress, flats, and a sun hat, she looked stunning.

Feeling the pull of the ice mage's hand, Juvia looked back to see Gray staring at her with his mouth agape and something beyond guild friendship in his eyes. Blushing furiously under the man's gaze, Juvia boldly asked him if he liked what he saw.

Gray nodded dumbly, before realizing his own scatterbrained actions.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not a perv or anything!"

Juvia just giggled before pulling at his hand. "Let's go, Gray-Sama! Before it closes!"

Rushing off in a hurry, Gray felt surprised as a genuine smile appeared on his face.

"Juvia, I haven't even told you where we're going yet. How about I take point?" Juvia blushed, before nodding meekly.

With fingers entangled, the pair set off to get carmalade franks, a strange type of hot dog. Even after the bell rang above the door signaling their entrance into the restaurant, Gray refused to let go of Juvia's hand, a tight hold on the appendage hidden behind the desk as he ordered for them both.

"You know, Juvia has never really seen what Gray-Sama does away from the guild hall. I am excited to get a glimpse into the life of my beloved Gray-Sama!" She gushed, her eyes sparkling as she confessed to the ice mage.

Gray seemed genuinely surprised by this revelation, almost positive that she knew everything there was to know about him. Choosing not to pursue the topic further, Gray grabbed the fresh carmalade franks and led Juvia outside to the summer patio.

Juvia poured cutely when Gray let go of her hand, but excitement soon returned to her eyes as she saw the large hot dog in front of her eyes.

Gray began digging in unceremoniously, not bothering with table manners or his more delicate partner. Taking a small bite, Juvia seemed put out by the lack of food she could fit in her mouth.

Just caramel was good, but the point of the meal was to combine the caramel, bread, and hot dog in one bite!

Gray eyed her curiously, a pink tint gracing his cheeks, before he chuckled lightly.

"Here, let me show you how it's done!"

Taking a giant bite of his frank, Gray swallowed before looking to her expectantly.

Juvia widened her mouth as far as she could and took a larger bite from her frank, getting caramel all over her mouth and putting dirty thoughts in her partners head.

Swallowing the last of his food, Gray scooped the caramel from around Juvia's mouth and stuck his fingers in his mouth, changing the focus of Juvia's appetite.

"G-G-Gray-Sama! If you wanted to taste Juvia, you had but to ask!" She exclaimed with star struck eyes.

Gray himself seemed surprised at his actions, and he had a difficult time suppressing the urge to repeat his actions.

Seeing that Juvia was too distracted to finish her food, Gray popped the remains in his mouth and left a generous amount of jewel on the table as a tip.

"C'mon, I'll walk you home." He said softly, offering his hand to the rain woman.

Juvia snapped out of her daydream and took stock of the situation before nodding and taking his hand.

Gray was amazed at how perfectly her soft, slender hand fit his cold, calloused one. I'm starting to think I should have listened the guild when they pushed us together. He reflected, his gaze drawn to that of the beautiful bluenette to his left.

She had begun to talk animatedly about some new sewing project she had begun, and how wonderful it was to live in Fairy Hills with her friends.

Gray heard none of this, his attention was stolen minutes ago by the graceful way her lips came together and parted as she spoke.

"Oh dear, is Juvia rambling again?!" She exclaimed with a flustered face and voice, her free hand covering her mouth with a gasp.

Gray frowned when her lips were covered up like the sun on a cloudy day, but was soon replaced by a soft smile.

"No, keep going. I like watching you talk." He said indifferently, lazily walking towards the Fairy Hills female dorms.

Juvia flushed prettily at the unexpected compliment from Gray, her lips turning up ever so slightly as her stomach exploded with joy.

Beginning to ramble on again about borrowing books from Levy, and learning to cook from Mira, and discovering her creative side with art in Lucy's room, she clutched Gray's arm tightly, her right breast pressing into him.

Arriving at the entrance to Juvia's home, Gray forced a smile as he fought to ignore the warmth of Juvia's breasts, something he had never imagined before. "Here we are, Juvia. I hope that tonight was good for you."

Or Erza is going to kill me. He thought solemnly.

Juvia's already glowing face lit up even more, a radiant smile imprinting itself in the ice mage's brain.

"Oh yes! Juvia had so much fun with Gray-Sama? Maybe, if it's not too much trouble, Gray-Sama would like to do it again?" She asked hopefully, throwing in the doe eyes for safe measure.

Gray smiled as he tucked a stray blue hair behind her ear.

"Sure, but I'll be sure to have something better for us to do than just eating carmalade franks at the last minute."

Juvia shook her head with a smile.

"As long as Juvia is with Gray-Sama, it doesn't matter what we do."She whispered softly, her face inches from Gray's.

Gray responded by pushing her against the wall, one hand cupping her face while the other rested against the wall. Pressing his lips to the bluenette's soft pair, he worked his mouth over hers slowly as she gasped, her eyelids fluttering closed in bliss.

Wiggling his hand behind her head to protect her from the brick of the dormitory wall, he pushed into her with a more heated display of his affections, the kiss melting away years of sexual tension that he had ignored, yet also building up the heat he felt pooling in his stomach.

Pulling back with a sigh of regret, Gray took a breath to compose himself as he held the water mage close and rested his forehead against hers.

"Does this mean that Gray-Sama loves Juvia?"She whispered in a flustered voice, her warm breath fanning over Gray's face.

"If it doesn't, then I'm pretty sure I'm starting to." He whispered back in a husky voice, his lips leaning down to kiss a trail up her jaw and delighting in the sounds she made, her head turned to the side so he could kiss below her earlobe.

After minutes of facial exploration, the pair were interrupted by the Queen of Fairies herself, Erza Scarlett.

"I assume that the date went well then?" She said in her usual authoritative voice, her key in one hand and a bag of strawberry cake in the other.

Gray stumbled over his words as his former passion dwindled, only being saved by the affirmation of his lover in the form of a girly squeal.

"Oh yes, I cannot wait to tell you all tonight at our sleepover!" The water mage exclaimed, before kissing Gray on the cheek and bidding her goodbyes and thanking him for the evening.

Before he knew it, Juvia was gone from his sight and Erza was patting him on the back congratulating him.

Standing outside of the all female dorm, Gray ran a hand through his black locks with a sigh of frustration, the tent in his trousers beginning to fade.

"What the hell just happened?!" He groaned to himself.

He could've swore that he heard Natsu's cackling in the background…


End file.
